Vintage Quilt Top Find!
 

Over the weekend I found this gorgeous old top in an antique mall. It's so beautifully pieced! Does anyone know what this star pattern is called... with the octagonal centers?

Also I am trying to decide if these fabrics are from the 40's? 30's? 50's? I have included some close ups and hope someone can give me some ideas as to the time period this was made.

I just loved it... and although it was machine pieced I plan to hand quilt it as it would have been originally, had it been finished.

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Missouri Daisy quilt at least that is what it was called here:
http://www.cindysantiquequilts.com/dynapage/IP350.htm
I had never seen this block before. Must have been a big challenge to machine piece this top.

Someone did a nice job.....

wooo hooo!!! Great find.

It threw me for a minute because I have a bunch of those prints in repros and the colors are far more saturated than any antique quilt top I've ever seen. It's definitely not 30's. The scale of some of the prints is too large. Some of the blurry floral prints would have been popular in the 1940's. The mod dots probably would have been from the 50's or 60's. If it is from that era, someone had quite a stash & kept it in unusually pristine condition; it would be worthwhile to invest in a professional appraisal if that's the case. Without seeing it in person, though, I can't help but suspect that it might have been more recently completed using all retro prints. Either way, it's a beautiful quilt & will only be more so after you've hand quilted it.

I'm thinking of the 70's or 80's.

It's beautiful.

My thoughts agree with the others although I'm no expert. I think some prints are 30's, while others are newer. Good idea to have it appraised.
As to the pattern, although maniac showed us a "Missouri Daisy " quilt, I have seen a different pattern by that name as well. Nice quilt.

I would think the pink and green shushing would put it way back, and it looks perfect. I love the quilt also.

The Missouri Daisy has a much smaller center. I am just amazed at the piecing on this. So perfect. The center octagons are perfectly pieced in too. No points missing in the stars.

The fabrics actually look older in person. They have a crepe-y texture. Definitely not 70's nor 80's. I may need to have it appraised. I am going to Paducah for quilt week in April. Is there someone there who appraises quilts?

Don't know about date, but sure is lovely. Need to add to my ever growing list of some days. Thanks for rescuing this great quilt.

Yes. http://www.quiltweek.com/appraisal-information/
I agree, the prints themselves are definitely not 70's/80's. I love working with repro's. There is a LQS by me that only sells reproduction fabrics & they are all so beautiful. I found out from my grandmother that one of the 30's repro prints I picked for my niece's quilt was the exact same pattern her mother had used from feedsacks to make her a dress when she was a little girl. There is just so much rich & beautiful history in them!

The solid white fabric is brighter than what would have been used in the 30's or 40's. In the 30's, it was a cream color that was used & in the 40's it was an off-white. By the 50's, that bright white started to be used. I noticed the texture of the pink fabric. I'm thinking it might be cotton voile, which would have been popular in the 50's/60's. I took on a customer quilt using that fabric & it's a beast to work with. If your top is from that era, it's in far better condition than my client's fabric was (it was an old duvet cover that was sort-of turned into a queen sized quilt & she wanted baby quilts out of it).

Hers was also a cotton-poly blend which made it extra hard to work with, but in any case, if you do find out it's voile, I would maybe consider adding a stabilizer to it before you layer & quilt it. Misty Fuse is ultra-lightweight & does a great job of maintaining the hand of the fabric. That would allow you to use & hand wash the quilt without worrying about damaging such frail fabric. It would also keep the fabric from fraying or stretching out of shape if you plan to use a hoop or a frame. I haven't hand quilted with Misty Fuse, but it's easy to do hand applique with it so I assume it would be okay. It would also help prevent bearding which commonly occurs with the looser weave fabrics from the 30's & 40's (they're also more prone to fray & snag because of that looser weave). If you don't use a stabilizer, I'd go with the smallest needle reasonably possible.

Do you know what color thread are you going to use for the quilting? So many beautiful options. Natural is always a nice color -- or that pale pink in the white areas & white in the pink/green areas. Probably a bunch of other options I haven't even thought of. So exciting! I can't wait to see what you do with it!

Thanks so much, Bree. When I quilt it I won't use a hoop or frame, just quilt it in my lap. I'm not a great hand quilter, by any means, but I think the quilt calls for it.

The white is not as stark white as it appears in the first photos. They were taken at the antique mall under their florescent lights. At home the white looks a bit more creamy and it's got a texture like fine muslin. I'm pretty sure the pink is all cotton. Sure doesn't feel like a blend.

I've been studying fabrics from different eras online and I'm really leaning towards the 50's. Like these were grandma's dresses in the 50's that she used for a quilt. Can't wait to hear what an appraiser will say.

Here are a few more close ups to show the fabrics better.
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i love this star quilt. almost looks like ajewel shape in EPP. Please show us the finished quilt.

It's very pretty

I have used a couple of these prints. Believe they are the 70's.

I have been to Paducah and seen the appraiser but can't tell you anything except to call and ask. They are very good at knowing what is going on there.

Unless I am mistaken, this looks like another one. Love this web site. Thanks Maniac

http://www.cindysantiquequilts.com/dynapage/IP777.htm

I was thinking 70's ish as well. Very pretty.

COOL quilt top! Nice find!

Nan

That is a great find! Let us know what you find out about this mystery quilt top. Looking, trying to figure out how it was pieced.....very few seams, except those in the ring. Is it appliquéd onto the background or sewed together? Great traditional design!

I recognize some of the fabric from the '50's. I made my maternity clothes, and I used it then. However, my mother had given me some fabrics, so it would have to have been early '50's. I saved the scraps and used them in a Cathedral Window I made in the early '70's. Anyone trying to date my quilt would have the same problem you are having right now.

As quilters, we just can't throw out any pieces that we feel still has some life in it.

Mldesatnik

what a wonderful discovery! have fun

The top is very pretty. Bright and colorful and will be beautiful when you get it all quilted. Love this pattern.

Some of the fabric is from the 50's and some look like late 40's. I have some of it from DM's stash.

Yes, that looks exactly like my blocks. Thanks so much. It's cool how it was used as a signature quilt.

All pieced in by machine-- no applique-- even the centers. Perfect Y seams! Tiny little scant 1/4" seams. This person was an expert piecer.

Yes, I'm feeling strongly that these fabrics are 1950's or older. I was sewing by the 60's and 70's and these fabrics were passe by then. They are nothing like what was in the fabric stores during those decades.

I found out the quilt appraisal at Paducah is $50. I only have a top, unquilted so I don't know if the price would still be $50. I'm not sure I am curious enough about this one top to pay $50 to hear an expert's opinion of it. I'm thinking of all the yards of fabric I could buy with that money, instead. :D

Concerning appraisal -- our university museum (textiles department) is having quilt documentation days - one in April and one in May. This is a free event where people are invited to bring up to 4 quilts or quilt tops for the curator to evaluate. She will not make an appraisal, but she will attempt to date the quilt based on the fabrics and style, and each person receives a picture and information sheet to be kept for personal documentation. If you have access to a public university museum, although it may not be doing a documentation day, the textiles curator may be willing to examine your quilt top privately.

Thanks... that's a great idea.

I"m also thinking some of the fabrics look 70's.

Reproduction prints wouldn't have a crepe texture, but lots of fabrics did in the 60's. The only print I recognize is also from the mid to late 60's. If they all have that texture, then they are most likely all from the same time.

I graduated from high school in the mid 50s and our colors were more subdued and smaller prints. This reminds me of the 1960s when anything went as far as color combinations. I saw a quilt book from the 1960s and the colors and prints were very similar. I have a feeling that since it was machine pieced the maker intended to machine quilt also. Women were proud of their ability to quilt on their sewing machines. Decorative stitches were still a novelty on their sewing machines.

So pretty. Are you going to quilt it? can't wait to see the finish!

Cheers for you - great luck on that find! Have fun finishing her out!

Yes, I'm thinking of hand quilting it.

./Yes there will be an appraiser at Paducah. Call and make a reservation so you will be sure to be on the list. Of course, then let us know what you find out. A lovely quilt and I will be wonderful when you have quilted it.

Good for you--nice find! It's so pretty!

Found out it will cost me $50 to see the appraiser at Paducah. I'd rather buy fabric!:D

I found these two links to blocks that are very similar:

http://nancycabotsewalong.blogspot.c...ilt-block.html

and this one which is a template:

http://www.quilttemplates.com/curves...s/curves3.html